Health warning issued about ADHD medication as number diagnosed in last year surges
As ADHD diagnoses are on the rise in the UK, a warning has been issued over the potential link between use of the medication used to help manage the condition and cardiac problems.
Research has indicated that stimulant medications frequently used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - the most commonly used being methylphenidate and amphetamines - may be to blame for a short-term rise in the risk of a heart attack, stroke, and other cardiac problems.
One study found that in the first month of starting a stimulant medication, older adults had a 40 percent higher risk of stroke, heart attack or a ventricular arrhythmia.
And another study, held in Sweden, found that people who have ADHD may be two times as likely to experience all types of cardiovascular diseases as those without the disorder.
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In light of these revelations, campaigners have warned that many patients starting on ADHD medication may have undiagnosed heart defects – which affect around one in 300 people, according to the charity Cardiac Risk In The Young – putting them at risk of complications triggered by the drugs.
Right now, the NHS does not offer screening for heart issues in ADHD patients before they are prescribed medication - but this is something Dr Steven Cox, chief executive of Cardiac Risk In The Young, wants to change.
"The vast majority of people with heart defects do not know they have one until something goes wrong," Dr Cox said to the Daily Mail.
"Offering all patients an ECG before they begin treatment is a sensible and easily achievable policy."
People with ADHD often having trouble with things such as concentrating and sitting still, with the NHS describing it as a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that can have a direct negative impact on academic, occupational, or social functioning.
In May 2025 it was estimated that 2,498,000 people in England have the condition, including those without a diagnosis. Of these, an estimated 741,000 are children and young people.
Diagnoses are said to be increasing, with it being noted that there has been a 50-fold increase in ADHD prescriptions in men aged 18-29 - and a doctor suggested that this may be caused by the spike in psychiatric referrals for adult ADHD in the past five years.
Symptoms of ADHD may involve a person's ability to pay attention to things, having high energy, or being unable to control their impulses.
Here are the main signs that people should look out for:
- Finding it hard to organise time
- Finding it difficult to follow instructions or finish tasks
- Being easily distracted or forgetful
- Losing things often, such as phones, keys, or wallets
- Being very talkative or interrupting conversations
- Feeling restless or having a lot of energy
- Making snap decisions without thinking about consequences
LADbible has contacted the NHS for comment.
Topics: Health, ADHD, Mental Health, NHS
Emily Puckering